WHITMAN COUNTY, WA — Since it started late Wednesday morning near the town of Dusty, the Central Ferry Fire has spread to an estimated 600 acres, and state fire aid has been called in to help local workers fight it.
The Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office reports that the fire started on August 13 at 11:30 a.m. and is currently consuming brush, grass, and wheat. Homes, local infrastructure, and agricultural resources are all at risk.
At 1:30 p.m., Whitman County Fire District 13 Chief Peter Appel requested that state firefighting resources be mobilized, and Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste granted his approval. In order to help with containment operations, air resources have been ordered.
Level 2 Emergency Coordination and Evacuations Residents in Central Ferry, north to Dusty, south to Almota, and from Highway 26 from Dusty to Wilcox are under a set evacuation notice. Additionally, nearby communities are under Level 1 alerts.
In order to coordinate state aid, the State Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray is partially activated at Level 2. The Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan, which enables quick deployment of personnel and equipment when situations beyond local capability, is being used to direct resources by Fire Protection Bureau mobilization specialists.
Both the fire’s cause and its level of containment have not yet been disclosed.
Visit wsp.wa.gov/all-risk-mobilization for additional details about the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan.
